In the new House Education budget released today, there is this provision: Simply put, this is to make it harder for teachers to again come together like we did last May 16th and this coming May 1st. Think now that we don't have power and that our collective voice do not carry incredible amounts of … Continue reading This is How Scared the NCGA is Of Teachers – May 1st Is Already Working

If there was ever a doubt that what resulted from May 16th’s march and rally in Raleigh on behalf of public education was nothing more than a moral victory, then please consider the following list of direct results of what happened in the months after the march that helped public education. And still are helping … Continue reading Dear NC Teachers, Last Year’s March and Rally DID WIN Our Students and Schools MANY Victories

Mark Johnson sent us another letter today filled with half-truths and intentionally unexplained "facts & figures" meant again to try and quell next week's march and rally in Raleigh. He stated, "We want to empower you with clear facts at your fingertips as we work together to improve public education in our state." Those "facts" … Continue reading About Mark Johnson’s Latest Letter of Empty Facts

A recent ABC11.com posting quoted another Phil Berger platitude that again shows his intentional disconnect with the state of public education. "The far-left NCAE has changed the goalposts year after year," Phil Berger said in a statement.  He said the teachers union is "trying to mislead the public into thinking Republicans are bad for education." … Continue reading About Sen. Berger’s Really Bad Sports Analogy Concerning the NCAE

Rob Schofield posted a piece today on NC Policy Watch that reported on a new effort for all of North Carolina's public employees to have collective bargaining rights. More than 600,000 public employees throughout North Carolina would obtain a right that’s been denied to them for 60 years under a pair companion bills introduced in … Continue reading NC Teachers (And All Public Employees) Should Have Collective Bargaining Rights

Remember when Mark Johnson said that $35,000 was a good salary for teachers in parts of North Carolina because it was higher than the median income in those counties? And there are others who say that teacher pay in NC should not be scrutinized because the "national average" argument is too mercurial to be a … Continue reading -26.5%: How Underpaid NC Teachers Really Are

Mark Johnson claims that he wants to change the “status quo.” But in reality he wants to protect the “status quo.” In fact, he is the “status quo.” At the end of this press release Johnson is quoted as saying, “We need leadership to come together to make this happen. Public education is too important … Continue reading How Mark Johnson Has Become the Face of the “Status Quo” – Why May 1st Is So Important

When Duke University’s Children’s Law Center’s released its March 2017 report called SCHOOL VOUCHERS IN NORTH CAROLINA : THE FIRST THREE YEARS one of the most glaring aspects of the program was how many vouchers were being used at religiously affiliated schools. And don’t forget that we as a state are expanding vouchers by $10 million year until … Continue reading Recent Research Makes Even More Imperative for NC To Make Its Voucher Program More Transparent

Last year Mark Johnson made it clear where he stood on a couple of issues that were at the heart of the May 16th march and rally. He also made it clear where he actually would not be physically standing on May 16th.   In the eight days that remain before educators and public school … Continue reading Dear Supt. Johnson, Where Will You be “Standing” on May 1st?

From the Post & Courier in Charleston, SC today: "Public school teachers across South Carolina plan to leave work May 1 and protest in Columbia to demand higher wages, smaller classroom sizes and other changes to their working conditions. It remains unclear how many teachers will participate and whether any school districts may opt to … Continue reading Look What Is Happening in South Carolina on May 1st